


To Romania With Love

by FoxPatronus (lyriumlovesong)



Series: Leather Wings and Scaly Things [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Birth, Blood, Care of Magical Creatures, F/M, Foaling, Hogwarts, Letters, Long-Distance Relationship, Original Character(s), POV Alternating, Scotland, Tension, Thestrals, WONDR, romania - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-22
Updated: 2018-07-01
Packaged: 2019-05-10 06:58:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 11,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14732123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lyriumlovesong/pseuds/FoxPatronus
Summary: Charlie Weasley and Maggie Skyler settle back into their lives apart, keeping in touch via owl post as they each navigate their own challenges.Maggie makes connections and finds enjoyment in her role at Hogwarts. Meanwhile, Charlie's colleagues at WONDR don't quite know what to do with their friend, whose attention is now obviously divided.Before beginning this story, it will be helpful to have readLeather Wings and Scaly Things, the first fic in this series.





	1. September 4th, 2011

_Dear Charlie,_  
  


_ I hope this letter finds you well, and that you made your way back to Romania without incident. _

_ My trip to Hogwarts was very pleasant, if not a bit noisy. I shared my compartment with three young girls who were very sweet (and very careful to behave in front of someone who they clearly thought was a new professor). I was also let in on quite a bit of juicy teenage gossip. I know you said you wanted to hear all about what was happening these days at Hogwarts, but I think I’ll spare you the details of who’s crushing on who among the fourth year Ravenclaws. _

_ The train ride itself was lovely. There were some really breathtaking views along the way. All in all, a smooth and enjoyable journey. (In retrospect, I should have known you were kidding about there being a loop-the-loop. You were not kidding about the food, though. Am now completely obsessed with pumpkin pasties.) _

_ I met Mr. Hagrid just before the feast on the first night, and he’s a delightful man, just as you said. (He also told me to stop calling him Mr. Hagrid.) I was given a seat next to him at the staff table, and they've allowed me to use an unused teachers’ quarters as my room and office for the duration of my stay. It's turned out to be quite cozy, in spite of some cobwebs and an old mouse nest I had to clear out when I moved in. Chloe has claimed the hearth rug for herself while I'm on the grounds during the day, and she seems to be making herself at home here.  _

_ So far, everyone has been very welcoming. I had a really pleasant conversation with Professor Longbottom about Herbology at the feast. Headmistress McGonagall even introduced me in the start-of-term announcements, which was met by polite and thoroughly disinterested applause from all the students. _

_ I found the Sorting Ceremony intriguing. The Houses seem to be very important to a student’s identity here at Hogwarts. We weren’t sorted into groups at Castelobruxo, just divided up by year. In a way, it makes sense to break the grades down a bit more. Having forty-some teenage girls sharing one treehouse did lead to some rather melodramatic situations. But there seems to be some rivalry and animosity among the Houses, and I have to wonder if it affects school unity. Did you find that to be the case when you were here? (For the record, I've been giving it a lot of thought, and I think I'd probably have been a Hufflepuff.) _

_ I was able to meet the Thestral herd and get to know them a little bit today. They’re so gentle compared to some of the others I’ve worked with. There’s a mare named Epona who should be foaling soon, which means I’ll get to see my first birth! I’m so excited about it. It could happen any time in the next week. There’s nothing cuter than a baby Thestral, if you ask me. They look like little folded up umbrellas on legs. I’ll try to get a photo to send you when it happens. _

_ In between working with the herd, I’ll be assisting Hagrid with Care of Magical Creatures classes, and I’m interested to see how they compare to our Bestas Mágicas courses at Castelobruxo. I’m sure you studied entirely different native creatures from us, so it will be neat to see what sorts of things the students are introduced to. I hope I can be helpful to Hagrid and maybe inspire some of the older students to look a bit more closely at a career working with animals after they leave here. _

_ No sign of Hagrid hiding a chimera or anything like that just yet, though he did ask me an awful lot of questions about Lethifolds, and whether they were native to Brazil, and how difficult I thought it would be to acquire one for “educational purposes.” Will keep you posted on how that conversation continues to evolve. _

_Dinner is about to start, so I should really sign off and clean up. Take good care of yourself, Charlie. I hope to hear from you soon._

 

_ Miss you, _

_ Maggie _

 

_ PS: I hope you found the surprise I left you at the train station. If you didn’t, I hope you haven’t washed those pants yet. _


	2. A Mother Made

Maggie stood from her chair and stretched her arms. It had been a long, hot day, and after spending most of the daylight hours on the grounds with Hagrid, she was ready to cool off and have a good meal.

The teachers’ quarters at Hogwarts were each outfitted with a simple bathroom comprised of a toilet, a shower, and a pedestal sink with a mirrored medicine cabinet mounted on the wall above it. A larger, more ornate bathroom on the second floor was available to her as well, complete with a tub the size of a small lap pool, but bath times had to be reserved in advance, and most of the staff didn’t have the time for the luxury of a good, long soak anyway.

Tossing her sweaty, dirt-streaked clothes unceremoniously into a pile on the floor, Maggie turned on the water, stepped into the little shower, and drew the curtain closed behind her. As she rinsed away the day’s grime, she thought about Charlie, wondering what he was doing right this minute.

_What time is it in Romania?_  

She had no idea. If she was being perfectly honest, she couldn’t even really pinpoint Romania on the world map in her head. Was he already done with dinner? Was he already in bed? Heck, was it _breakfast_ time where he was? She made a mental note to at least find a globe somewhere in the castle tomorrow.

When the final stream of soap suds had swirled its way down the drain, Maggie shut the water off and climbed out, wrapping a towel around herself and looking in the mirror.

“You’re not going down to dinner looking like _that_ , surely?” it asked.

“Nobody asked you,” she retorted, rolling her eyes as she opened the medicine cabinet and grabbed her comb. She raked it through her wet locks, then used her wand to perform the same spell she’d used on Charlie’s rain-soaked hair. When she felt sufficiently dry, she put on a fresh set of clothes and sat down at the desk again, grabbing her quill and adding another hasty postscript.

 

_PPS: What time is it in Romania if it’s about 6:30 PM here in Scotland? Asking for a friend who’s bad at geography._

 

Folding up the letter, she pocketed it and checked her watch. Still enough time to get this sent off before dinner, if she hustled.

Maggie climbed the steps of the West Tower, enjoying the cool evening breeze that was coming in through the windows as she passed. The large, circular room at the top was full of owls of all sizes, some dozing, some preening, and one very bedraggled looking horned owl who was in the middle of trying to regurgitate a pellet. Stepping carefully to avoid thick white puddles of droppings and little piles of bones, she made her way to the area designated for school owls and selected a robust-looking barn owl. He blinked his eyes and gave her a hopeful look, sticking out one spindly talon.

“Well, aren’t you eager?” she said, smiling at the bird. She gently secured the letter to his leg with a leather tie and then gave him a soft stroke on the head. “Sorry for the long flight, friend. I’ll bring you a treat when you get back, for the trouble.”

The owl hooted softly, then took off and flapped out a window. Maggie watched him fly until he was just a little black dot against the blue sky, and then made her way back down to the Great Hall.

She was just about to head inside when a large shape came barreling in from the Entrance Hall.

“Hagrid?” she asked, turning to see him racing toward her. “Is everything okay? I was just heading in to dinn—”

“No time fer that,” he gasped, bending over with his hands on his knees to try to catch a breath. “It’s Epona. She’s gettin’ ready to foal!”

“Right now?” Maggie asked, her eyes wide.

“Yeah, she’s moanin’ an’ heavin’ somethin’ fierce. We gotta get back down ter the paddock, quick!”

The two of them rushed through the Entrance Hall, out the huge front doors of the castle, and pounded down the steps. Maggie’s stomach was full of butterflies as she and Hagrid raced across the grounds past the Herbology greenhouses and toward the edge of the forest, her long hair whipping behind her. 

The paddock was a short distance into the thick of the forest, and they had to be careful in their haste not to trip over tree roots, wild ivy, and other vegetation along the way.

They could hear Epona vocalizing softly as they came near. The Thestral mare was laying on her side, wings drawn up tightly to her back, breathing heavily. A small hoof encased in the slick, white caul could be seen protruding from her backside, which was laying in a pile of fresh straw that was newly damp with amniotic fluid.

Maggie slowly approached and bent down next to the animal, stroking her neck.

“Hi, mama,” she murmured, looking into the Thestral’s glittering white eyes. 

People often described Thestrals as unexpressive and seemingly emotionless, but Maggie had spent enough time with them to know that this was a gross misconception. They communicated their feelings just as effectively as any other creature. You just had to know how to read them. 

Epona’s pupilless eyes were wide and round, her muscled jaw clenched and taught, and her mouth drawn into a slight grimace. 

She was afraid.

“Hagrid, is this her first foal?” Maggie asked.

“Yep. More’n likely, she’ll need a bit of a hand.”

Epona let out a snort as her belly tightened, and Maggie could see her straining.

“She’s havin’ a contraction,” Hagrid told her. “Come roun’ here to this end.”

Maggie walked around to the Thestral’s backside and crouched down next to Hagrid. There were two hooves and a bit of leg poking out now.

“Look there, yeh can see she’s makin’ progress. But she’ll do better with a little help. Jus’ grab hold of the babe’s legs, here behin’ the ankles. Whenever she’s havin’ a contraction, you pull. Not too hard, jus’ firm an’ steady.”

“You… you want _me_ to deliver it?” 

“Yeah, why not? I watched you with the herd. Yeh’ve got good instincts an’ more book learnin’ on Thestrals an’ their anatomy than anyone I’ve ever met, includin’ meself. I reckon yeh’re up to the task.”

Maggie took a deep breath and nodded.

“Okay,” she said, feeling as nervous as she sounded. “Just… tell me if I start to do something wrong. I’ve never helped an animal give birth before.”

Epona was resting now, in between contractions. Maggie ran a hand over her flank, speaking to her in a soft voice.

“There now, catch your breath a minute. You’re doing _so_ well, Epona. Such a good girl.”

Several contractions passed with marginal progress, the hooves inching out a bit further each time until Maggie could easily grab onto the foal’s thin limbs. In between, Epona would lay still and allow herself to be stroked while she tried to rest up for the next push.

Hagrid stood a few paces away, watching quietly. Maggie noticed the animal’s stifle drawing up slightly again, and she carefully wrapped her hands around the foal’s knobbly legs. It felt like holding a thin branch wrapped in a wet balloon.

“Okay, mama,” she said encouragingly. “ _Big_ _push!”_

Epona’s belly squeezed in on itself again, and she grunted loudly with the effort. Maggie pulled with even pressure, coaxing the legs out little by little. After a moment a tiny snout emerged, and then the rest of a wrinkled, dragonlike head, accompanied by a loud squelching sound. Epona raised her own head and stretched one wing just a bit as she felt the baby’s skull squeeze through.

“There’s the little ‘un, now!” Hagrid said, and Maggie could hear in his gleeful voice that he was as excited to see the baby Thestral as she was, despite the fact that he’d seen dozens make their entrances into the world before this one. “A few more contractions an’ we should have it out!”

The mare lay her head back down, chest heaving. Maggie noticed that the caul had torn open, and she carefully pulled it away from the foal’s face. It blinked slowly at her against the quickly fading sunlight peeking between the trees. Reaching up to pat the mother Thestral’s flank, Maggie beamed at her.

“Almost there, Epona. Baby is ready to meet you!”

With the next contraction, Maggie gripped the baby Thestral tightly once again, bracing one boot against the mare’s flank for leverage. Epona grunted, giving a mighty push. The foal’s shoulders slowly began to emerge, and as soon as the barrel of its chest had been birthed, the rest of it slid out with ease, bringing with it a gush of clear fluid that soaked warmly through Maggie’s pant leg.

Hagrid kneeled down again, helping to pull the rest of the caul away from the foal’s body. The wet, lanky creature rolled unsteadily onto its chest, raising its head a bit and blinking with a bewildered expression. Maggie smiled at it.

“Hello, little one,” she said warmly. “We’ve been waiting for you!”

She turned to say something to Epona again, but stopped short. The mare had lain her head back down in the hay. Her chest was heaving, but the rest of her body was still. She gave a low moan, and Maggie saw a thick river of blood begin to pour out of her backside.

“Hagrid!” she exclaimed, and he looked up from the foal, following Maggie’s gaze. “Hagrid, I think she’s hemhorraging. My wand fell out of my pocket, it’s here in the hay somewhere. Help me look!”

They groped around in the wet straw, searching everywhere for the wand. Maggie slipped her hand under the foal’s rear end and felt her fingers finally touch its smooth wooden tip. She yanked it out from under the baby, pointed it at Epona, and said _“Sanandum!”_

The flow of blood slowed, then gradually stopped altogether. The poor animal lay exhausted, her breathing still labored. Hagrid let out a heavy sigh of relief as Maggie scooted up toward Epona, laying her head against the mare’s neck. She could feel the animal’s pulse against her cheek. It was weakened, but steady.

“Good job, mama,” she said gently, stroking the side of the Thestral’s leathery head. “You were magnificent. Rest a bit, now.”

Epona gave a soft nicker.

“You weren’ so bad yerself, Maggie,” Hagrid said, brushing damp hay off his pants. “Quick thinkin’ an’ good instincts, like I told yeh.”

Maggie could feel herself blushing a bit.

“I just did what you told me to do.”

“You also had ter respond to an emergency situation, an’ you stayed calm an’ focused even without me tellin’ yeh what ter do. I’m pleased you were here. Don’ know what I would’ve done if you hadn’ bin. Not allowed ter do magic, meself, strictly speakin’.”

The foal was moving around more now, wiggling closer to Epona, who had found the energy to sit up a bit and start nuzzling the little baby.

“Is it a girl or a boy, Hagrid, did you notice?”

“It’s a filly,” he said, smiling. “It’s unusual, you know, havin’ a birth this early. The moon’s only jus’ come out, look. Normally the mares foal in the middle of the night. This little ’un is special."

Maggie had moved back a little bit, watching as the mother Thestral and her new babe got acquainted.

“Would yeh like to give ‘er a name?”

“What?” she asked, looking up at Hagrid. _“Me?”_

“Well, who else would I be talkin’ to?” he replied with a chuckle. “You brought ‘er into the world, no reason you shouldn’ be the one teh name ‘er.”

“Oh,” Maggie said, taken aback. “Er… yes, actually, I’d really like that. Just let me think for a second…”

She watched as Epona curled her head around the filly’s, snuffling its wrinkled skin with her snout. The moon was just visible through the trees, casting soft silver light on the pair of them.

“How about Selene?” Maggie asked.

“Selene,” repeated Hagrid, smiling. “You know, I reckon I like that.”

They stayed to watch the two animals bonding for another quarter of an hour, until it was properly dark. Then they made their way back to the castle, Maggie lighting their way with the tip of her wand.

“I suppose dinner is long over,” she said, realizing now just how hungry she was. Her stomach gave an audible growl at the thought of food.

“Yeah, but we can nip down to the kitchens an' get summat from the House Elves. Perks of bein’ on the staff. Unless yeh’d like to stop by my hut on the way, instead. I could make yeh a stoat sandwich an’ a cup o’ tea.”

“That’s awfully kind of you,” Maggie said, smiling as she remembered the stories Charlie had told her about Hagrid’s cooking. “But I think I’d actually like to see the kitchens, now you mention it.”

“Suit yerself. C’mon then, let’s pick up the pace. I’m starvin’.”

Maggie hustled to keep up with Hagrid’s long strides, grinning to herself and looking back over her shoulder at the edge of the forest, thinking excitedly of her next letter to Charlie.

First, though, another shower and change of clothes was _definitely_ in order.


	3. September 5th, 2011

_Hello again, Charlie!_

_I know two letters in two days probably seems like a bit much, and I promise not to flood you with owls every day, but I’m just so excited and I couldn’t wait to tell you about my night._

_Epona had her foal!_

_I was on my way to dinner yesterday when Hagrid came running in from the grounds to meet me and tell me she’d gone into labor. We rushed down to the paddock and she was laying in her hay, and the baby’s hoof had already come out a little. The other Thestrals were nowhere to be seen. Maybe they know to give a birthing mother some space? I’ll have to go back through my texts and see if anything has been written about herd behavior during a foaling._

_Anyway, Hagrid asked_ _me_ _to deliver the baby! I got to help Epona by pulling on the little one’s legs while she pushed, and the foal just came sliding right out into my lap after about an hour of work._

_It was_ _so_ _amazing, Charlie! I’ve never experienced anything like it. Epona did so well, and the filly is just as cute as can be! She was so wet, and her little wings were all wrinkled and folded tight against her back, and she just sort of sat there and blinked at us for a minute like she was wondering what the heck had just happened. I wish you could’ve seen it! Hagrid let me pick her name, and I chose to call her Selene._

_We did have a bit of a scare after the foal was delivered. Epona started to hemorrhage a little, and I’d dropped my wand out of my pocket while I was helping her, so we had to frantically feel around in the hay in the semi-darkness to find it. But I was able to use a healing spell on her, and she hadn’t lost too much blood. She seemed just fine when we checked on her this morning, and she polished off three whole steaks for breakfast!_

_The rest of the herd had come back by the time we arrived this morning and everyone was very curious about the baby, and a little protective too. Her father is a big stallion named Tenebrus, and he gave me such a show as we approached the paddock, flapping his wings and snorting at me. It took me about ten minutes to calm him and get him to let me near them. He still doesn’t know me well, so it’s understandable. He seemed to do okay once I got in and started interacting with Epona and Selene, and he realized I wasn’t going to do any harm. Probably also helped that Hagrid was there to reassure him._

_The filly is doing great, nursing like a champ and clumsily walking around the paddock, following her mama. I had Hagrid take a photo of us for you and will enclose that with this letter._

_I’m still on such a high from this whole experience! It’s given me a lot to research and study and think about. And it was a good bonding experience for Epona and me. I got to help her become a mama! I’m just so pleased._

_I can’t wait to hear how things are going in Romania. I promise to wait to hear back from you before I send another owl._

_(…Unless something else amazing happens, and then all bets are off.)_

_Still miss you,  
_ _Maggie_


	4. A Tense Breakfast

“Hey, Weasley! You comin’ outta there any time today? We got shit to do.”

Charlie set Maggie’s second letter down, jarred out of his thoughts by the shouting from outside his tent.

“Give me three minutes, Tex!” he called, picking up the moving photograph she had included.

His heart did a little jump in his chest as he looked at it.

There she was, sitting in the hay in the paddock, hair tied back into a ponytail, smiling and laughing as a lanky little Thestral foal nuzzled her and chewed gently on her denim overalls. Periodically, she would look up at the camera and beam directly at him, her hazel eyes sparkling with joy. He touched her face with one finger, smiling back.

 _She has that little dimple, just on one cheek,_ he thought to himself. _And her nose wrinkles up when she laughs._

He’d seen these things before, of course, but it was funny how quickly details like that slipped away, especially having known one another for such a short time. He was glad to have the picture now, so he wouldn’t have to try to hold onto all those little things in his memory.

Tucking the photo into the breast pocket of his shirt, he stood, stashing the letters in a drawer in his bedside table. He walked to his tiny bathroom and splashed water on his face, glancing in the mirror above the sink. He really was due for a shave, but there wouldn’t be time today.

The morning sun streamed in through the canopy of the forest, mottling their camp with splotches of bright light and deep green shadow. Charlie held up a hand to shield his eyes as he emerged through the canvas flaps. He walked the short distance across the camp to the mess tent and ducked inside.

The magically-expanded interior opened into a large room housing a long wooden table in the center and a simple kitchen set up along one wall, as well as a few cabinets for storage and a small pantry in the corner. A tall, lean man with a well-tanned face occupied one chair at the table, his eyes obscured by the brim of a brown leather Stetson. Across from him, a pretty woman with a long blonde plait was sipping a mug of milky coffee. The smell of bacon hung in the air.

“Morning, Tex. Sylvie.”

The two of them returned Charlie’s greeting as he walked over to the kitchen area, where a very fit-looking man with skin the color of freshly-watered earth and long black dreadlocks was tending the food, stirring a mountain of scrambled eggs around in a pan.

“Hey, Heinrich,” Charlie said, leaning against the counter next to the stove.

“ _Guten Morgen,_ Charlie,”the man replied, turning to grin at Charlie and adjusting his wire-rimmed glasses with his free hand. He spoke next in perfect English, but with a mild Bavarian accent. “You took a while to get yourself together this morning. Would that happen to have anything to do with the two owls I saw pecking at your tent flap this morning?”

“Two owls in one mornin’?” asked Tex in his distinctly southern American drawl, leaning his chair back onto its rear legs. “You startin’ a fan club, ginger?”

Charlie rolled his eyes.

“They were from Maggie, if you must know,” he replied, grabbing a chipped mug from one of the cabinets and helping himself to coffee.

“That witch you met on your trip back home?” asked Tex, smirking. “Or, _allegedly_ met. I’m still not quite sure I believe you.”

“ _Tais-toi_ , Tex!”

Sylvie’s accent, which was French, was thick as she continued admonishing him in English.

“Leave Charlie alone. When was the last time he was excited about someone, eh? Before you were even on the team, I think.”

“Exactly,” Tex said, thumping his chair back down. “The man never so much as _glances_ at a woman in the three years I’ve been here, and suddenly he’s exchangin’ two letters a day and plannin’ trips an’ whatnot. Either he’s been slipped a love potion, or he’s makin’ her up.”

“Or,” suggested Charlie, taking a seat next to Sylvie and sliding the photograph across the table, “I just _like_ her.”

Tex picked up the photo and scrutinized it, then tossed the photo back in Charlie’s direction.

“Hmph,” he grunted, frowning.

“May I see?” asked Sylvie, leaning over. Charlie picked the photo up and tilted it toward her. She watched over his shoulder as the baby Thestral nudged Maggie’s chin. “Oh, but I think she looks lovely! It’s nice that you’ve met someone, Charles. Tex is just feeling sour because that bartender in the village turned him down again while you were gone.”

“She did _not_ ,” argued Tex.

“You asked her when she got off work and she told you she would be working doubles _all month_ ,” said Heinrich, smirking as he walked the eggs over. “She was just trying to spare your feelings." He stopped, looking at the clear table top. "...Wait, did none of you grab plates? _So ein Misthaufen!_ Do I have to think of _everything_ myself?”

Charlie jumped up and quickstepped to the cabinet, taking down five plates. He looked back at the table and then down at the stack again, counting.

“Wait, where’s Khalid?”

“Finishing donor letters,” Sylvie replied, taking the plates from Charlie and distributing them as he returned to his seat. “He said he’d be down to breakfast in a few minutes.”

“I don’t know why he doesn’t just use magic to duplicate them,” Charlie said as he helped himself to eggs. “It would save him loads of time.”

Heinrich walked a pile of toast and a plate of bacon over to the table before seating himself.

“He says people give more money when it feels personal,” he said, shrugging. “So he writes them all out by hand.”

“What’s he think, that people are comparin’ their letters?” asked Tex, shaking his head. “If they care about somethin’ like that, they can take a long fall off a fast broom. Buncha rich assholes, anyway.”

“And _that_ ,” said Sylvie, pointing a triangle of toast at him, “is why _you’re_ not in charge of donor relations. Those ‘rich assholes’ fund your paycheck.”

Tex gave a snort.

“What _passes_ for a paycheck around here, you mean,” he drawled grumpily.

Khalid did indeed walk into breakfast a few minutes later, sitting down and grabbing a slice of toast.

“Morning, my friends,” he said cheerfully. Everyone returned his greeting except for Tex, who merely grunted into his bacon. Khalid turned to him. “What’s got your wand in a knot?”

“Nothin’,” Tex snapped. “Just wanna stop jabberin’ and get to work.”

“Ah, so sorry to have delayed everyone,” said Khalid, hastily piling eggs onto his plate. “I’ll eat fast.”

“Take your time,” Heinrich replied, offering him a salt shaker. “No need to rush on account of Tex’s bad mood.”

“What’s on the docket today?” Charlie asked rather louder than normal as he watched Tex open his mouth to retort.

“We had some reports of a dragon picking off livestock from local Muggle farmers while you were gone,” said Heinrich. “We had to do all sorts of memory modifications, and we still have yet to find the animal. Descriptions sound like an Ironbelly. Standard restraint-and-relocation operation, once we track it down. We think it may have retreated to the Bihor Range southwest of here.”

Khalid shoveled his eggs down quickly in spite of Heinrich’s assurance that he needn’t do so, and within a few minutes they were all finished and ready to head out. Charlie scooted his chair back and stood, pocketing Maggie’s picture again.

Tex looked over at him, gesturing with his empty coffee mug.

“You make sure your mind’s in the game and not in some pretty witch’s panties, ginger,” he said.

Sylvie whipped around from the sink full of soapy water where she was waving her wand at a scrub brush, which began to wash the dishes on its own.

“Don’t be so crass!” she scolded.

Charlie met his eye, and they could all see a muscle tensing in his temple as he clenched his jaw.

“You just worry about yourself, cowboy. And make sure you bring a sturdy rope.”


	5. September 10th, 2011

_Dear Maggie,_

_First of all, let me start by saying that I’m very sorry to have delayed so much in getting a reply sent to you!_

_We spent the last three days tracking a Ukranian Ironbelly that had been taking cattle from the local Muggles, so as you can imagine it was quite the mess, lots of Obliviating to do on top of trying to hunt the thing down. We finally found it on the other side of a range of nearby mountains, and we were able to stun it and relocate it back to its native country. Hopefully it behaves itself and stays on its side of the border. (Though I’m not holding my breath, as so far we have been unsuccessful in teaching them how to read maps.)_

_It was so nice to receive your letters! You needn’t worry about writing too much, I’ll always be glad to get them._

_I’m thrilled that you are settling in nicely and I know you will be a wonderful asset to all the teaching staff, but especially to Hagrid. You proved that with how well you handled Epona’s labour and birth. Saying I’m proud of you feels paternalistic. Is there something that feels like being proud of you but is somehow less patronising? If so, that’s what I am right now._

_Also (and I promise not to make a habit of saying this, but it feels appropriate this time): I TOLD YOU SO!_

_To answer your question about Sorting, I do expect it all seems a bit strange from the perspective of someone who went to a school where it’s not done. As to school unity, I would be a liar if I said it had never had an effect. The Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs generally tend to get along with everyone, but Gryffindor and Slytherin have always had a bit of a rivalry, and it definitely came to a head during the war. Nearly all of the Death Eaters came from Slytherin families, including Voldemort himself, so the reputation of the House as a whole suffered a great deal for it. I’m hopeful that it will continue to get better, as the years go by and we put more distance between ourselves and that terrible period in our history._

_You should see if McGonagall will let you try on the Sorting Hat, just for kicks. But I would be willing to wager that you are correct--hard work and kindness fits you to a T. (Though of course, you’re also brilliant and driven and fierce, so who knows? Maybe the Hat would surprise you!)_

_I’m glad to hear that Hagrid isn’t going to try to have you looking after an actual chimera this semester. I would definitely do whatever you can to discourage the Lethifold idea. I don’t think he’d actually try to acquire one, but it’s hard to tell sometimes with him. If he did, I might have to send him a Howler to remind him of what happened the last time an illegal creature made its way onto school grounds!_

_Speaking of sending letters, that little barn owl that arrived with your first one is a character. I didn’t notice right off, but he followed me into my tent after I retrieved my post from him and his companion. I heard a funny noise behind me and turned around to find him helping himself to the rest of a packet of crisps I had left on a table the night before. (In his defense, it was a long flight and he was probably feeling quite peckish.) I think he was hoping I’d let him stay for a bit, but I let him get a few bites in and then shooed him off back to the school._

_Thank you for including the photograph. It was wonderful to see your face, and especially in such a joyful moment. Selene is a beautiful filly, and I can tell she has really taken to you._

_It seemed only fair that I should return the favor and send along a photo of myself for you to hold onto. Unfortunately, the last camera we had fell victim to an angry Hungarian Horntail who woke up from his sleeping draught rather earlier than expected. There are probably still pieces of it in the clearing. The camera, that is, not the Horntail._

_Anyhow, this photo is the only one I have of me, so it will have to do until I can find a way to get a better one. It’s of the whole WONDR field team, all five of us. (I’m the handsome one with the red hair.)_

_I hope that you’re having a wonderful day, whenever you happen to read this. I miss you as well and think of you often. Do take care and write me back whenever you get the chance. I promise not to take so long to get back to you this time around._

 

_-Charlie_

 

_PS: I did find the surprise in my pocket, you delightful little sneak! Thank you very much for the chocolate. I’m saving it for a special occasion and will think fondly of you whenever I decide the moment is right to enjoy it._

_PPS: You can tell your geographically-challenged friend that when it's 6:30 PM in Scotland, it’s 8:30 PM here in Romania. Also please tell her she has a beautiful smile and I can’t wait to see it in person again soon._


	6. September 18th, 2011

_I have a bone to pick with you, Charlie Weasley._

_Hagrid and I took some time yesterday to visit Hogsmeade for some supplies for class. When we were done at Claw & Feather, he treated me to lunch at the Three Broomsticks. (Which, apropos of nothing, has the best mead I think I’ve ever tasted.)_

_Anyway, I mentioned that you and I had met and were corresponding, and he happened to casually toss off the fact that you were a superstar Quidditch player in your time!_

_I’m thinking to myself, “Doubtless that’s something he would have mentioned, maybe Hagrid is thinking of another Weasley.” But then, sure enough, I get back to the castle and visit the trophy room, and there you are on about half a dozen Quidditch awards! Hagrid says you could have gone pro, if you hadn’t gone off chasing dragons._

_Were you going to tell me I kissed a Gryffindor Quidditch legend, or what? Am I going to find out you’re secretly hiding an Order of Merlin from me next? You have to tell a woman these things!_

_(I’m mostly kidding. But seriously, that’s something you should totally brag about. I would, if I could. As it is, I can barely stay upright on a broom and probably would have gotten laughed out of Quidditch trials at my school.)_

_It was nice to hear you say you were proud of me. (It didn’t feel condescending to me, but I appreciate the concern on that count.) And yes, you’re right, you had a lot more faith in my skills than I did. I’m definitely feeling a bit more confident now that we are on the other side of that foaling. I’m so enjoying watching Selene bond with her mother and interact with the herd! I can already tell she’s going to be a bit of a spitfire like her dad._

_That little barn owl really is a hoot. (Pun intended this time.) Every time I go to mail a letter now, he hops back and forth on his little feet when I walk into the owlery, as if he’s saying “Pick me! Pick me!” So naturally, I always do pick him because he’s just too cute to resist. I’ll likely be sending him along with this letter, too. Hope you saved him some crisps!_

_Thank you so much for including the photo with your last letter. I had been missing that cheeky grin of yours. You have to tell me all about your colleagues! They look like an interesting bunch. (What’s with the surly cowboy fella on the end, though? He looks about as pleasant as a poltergeist.)_

_Which, speaking of things you didn’t tell me about… Why didn’t you warn me that Peeves was such a nightmare? Three days in a row now, he’s snuck into my room while I was away and gotten up to some sort of shenanigans. Yesterday I came home from Hogsmeade to find my bed fixed to the ceiling with a sticking charm! Professor Flitwick had to come in and help me get it unstuck. It brought back some semi-traumatic memories about the Caipora in Brazil. I guess you just can’t build a wizarding school without attracting some sort of mischief-maker. (As if the students aren’t enough!)_

_Classes have gone smoothly for us so far this semester. Hagrid does an exemplary job of teaching and I’m so impressed by his knowledge level, having had little formal education himself. His passion for the subject is obvious. I think he appreciates having an extra set of hands, though, since the combination of children and unpredictable magical creatures can become a bit chaotic. The other day, one of our fifth years wasn’t paying attention and allowed himself to be stung by a Billywig. Fortunately, his classmate caught him before he floated too high, and Madame Pomfrey was eventually able to get him to stop giggling. Never a dull moment!_

_I’ve had the opportunity to meet your friend’s son, Teddy Lupin. He’s in our third year class. I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up pursuing a future in Magizoology. He’s so attentive, and he asks the most thoughtful questions. Hagrid says he’s a good student all the way around, and that his mom and dad would have been proud. I know I would be, if he was my son. I gather he’s close with your family, as Hagrid mentioned that your little sister is one of his godparents, so I thought you’d like to know that he’s doing well._

_I also asked after your neice, Victoire, who I saw Sorted on her first day here. Neville (I’ve been expressly forbidden from calling him Professor Longbottom anymore) says she’s getting along wonderfully in Hufflepuff and excelling at all her classes. Good brains must run in the Weasley line._

_Neville also happened to mention that he and his wife Hannah are considering purchasing the Leaky Cauldron. It would definitely be a welcome change from that pervy barman who owns the place now. Maybe they can make it look a bit more cheerful inside, as well._

_I suppose I should sign off before I have to start a third sheet of parchment! I hope that you’re doing well and staying safe. I look forward to hearing about your latest dragon chase._

 

_Take care,_

_Maggie_

 

_PS: Thank you for the time zone info, and for making me blush._


	7. A Knarly Problem

It was another sweltering day on the Hogwarts grounds.

Headmistress McGonagall had asked that outdoor classes be offered water so that the students didn’t become dehydrated in the heat, so Maggie walked in between the rows of Third Year students, using her wand to refill empty cups with the Aguamenti charm and setting them back down on the work tables.

“Thank you, Professor!” said a cheerful voice. Maggie looked up to see the blonde girl from the platform whose cat she had helped catch.

“Anne,” she replied, giving the girl a warm smile. “I’ve told you a dozen times, I’m not a professor. Maggie is fine.”

“Thank you, Maggie,” Anne said a bit quieter, giving a shy smile in return.

“How are you doing with your Knarl?” she asked, looking at the hedgehog-like creature on Anne’s table. It was sniffing at a pile of fresh daisy blossoms, its conical little nose wiggling up and down.

“I have most of my questions answered, but I’m still not sure what sex it is. It won’t let me look.”

“Well, let’s see if I can help,” Maggie offered, gently scooping up the Knarl. It gave her thumb a nip in admonishment. “Oh, stop it,” she chided the creature softly. “Nobody’s impressed.”

She turned the sulking little rodent over in her hand, attempting to get a glimpse of its belly, but the creature curled itself into a tight, spiky ball.

“See what I mean?” asked Anne. “Every time I try to take a peek, it does that.”

“Hmm,” said Maggie, pursing her lips. “Must be feeling modest. Let me show you a little trick.”

She set the round little Knarl ball back on the table with one hand and took out her wand with the other, aiming it at a stack of old folded tea towels near the little outdoor sink where the students would wash their hands after class.

_“Accio towel!”_

One of them zoomed off the top of the pile and into her outstretched fingers. Maggie grasped the towel so that it made a sort of hammock between her hands, and then she had Anne set the Knarl inside so that it was cradled in the thin fabric.

Moving her hands up and down, Maggie began to gently roll the little ball of spines around in the towel. After a few rolls, a face and a set of paws appeared from the underside of the animal as it tried to brace itself. She gently moved the towel one more time and rolled the creature onto it’s back, revealing the creature’s belly.

“There you go,” she said to Anne. “Now you tell me, what sex is it?”

“Definitely a boy,” said Anne, grinning. The Knarl gave a disgruntled little chuff and rolled itself back up.

“Good work!” said Hagrid’s gruff voice behind them. They hadn’t heard him walk up, and the sudden sound made them both jump a little.

“Oh,” said Maggie, turning around. “Thanks. My sister had a pet Knarl growing up, and that always worked on him.”

“Would yeh mind demonstratin’ that fer the class?” asked Hagrid. “That’s a really clever trick. Might come in handy durin’ exams.”

“Sure,” Maggie replied, shrugging.

Hagrid cleared his throat.

“Hey, everyone,” he said loudly. “Eyeballs on Maggie fer a minute. She’s gonna show you summat.”

Maggie repeated her demonstration for the class, rolling the grumpy little Knarl in the towel again until he unrolled once more, looking a bit dizzy now. He lay on his back, blinking with a slightly befuddled expression that made a few of the students chuckle.

“Wouldn’t a calming charm work just as well?” asked Teddy Lupin from his work table. His turquoise hair was darkened with sweat and his skin flushed from the intense heat of the day, but he hadn’t been working any less diligently for it. He’d been one of the first students to finish his worksheet and hand it in.

“That’s a great question, Teddy,” Maggie said, nodding. “A calming charm certainly would work perfectly well. But, practically speaking, I find that it’s best to have as many non-magical methods of handling creatures as you can, just in case you get into a situation where you don’t have your wand handy, or you need to care for one of them in the presence of Muggles. That’s especially important with animals like Knarls, Kneazles, and Crups, since they look so much like common non-magical animals. No point in creating more of a headache for yourself by breaching the Statute of Secrecy if you can avoid it.”

“Solid advice,” Hagrid said, nodding approvingly. “Now, we got about five minutes before lunch, so hurry up an’ finish yer work so you have enough time ter wash up.”

As the class finished up and then filed out, Maggie and Hagrid went about collecting the Knarls from the tables and putting them into their housing crates. After clearing off the tables with a few waves of her wand, Maggie walked over to the washing station and set about scrubbing her hands.

“Hot ‘un today,” Hagrid grunted, coming up beside her and sticking his hands under another spigot, which promptly poured out a stream of cool water.

“It really is,” Maggie said, bringing up a double handful to splash on her face. “I didn’t realize it got so hot in Scotland.”

“This is unseasonably warm fer us,” he replied. “Makin’ me question my choices regardin’ facial hair.”

Maggie laughed at this, grabbing one of the towels to pat her face and dry her hands.

“I suppose I’ll see you at lunch?” Hagrid asked.

“Oh, I actually need to get down to the paddock and muck it out,” she answered, offering the towel to him when she was done. “I didn’t have time this morning. I was finishing up a letter and wanted to get it to the owlery before breakfast.”

“Ah,” said Hagrid, smiling behind his bushy beard. “Wouldn’ be writin’ to a certain redheaded dragonologist, would yeh?”

Maggie grinned.

“Maybe,” she replied. “Anyway, I need to get the enclosure cleaned and check in with Epona and Selene. With our afternoon schedule today, I won’t have a chance again until tonight.”

“You still oughtta eat,” Hagrid said, looking concerned. “Want me ter bring you a peanut butter sandwich or summat?”

“Yes, please,” Maggie said. “That would actually be great. I can wolf it down before the next class. Thank you for offering.”

“Not a problem,” Hagrid said kindly. “Happy to. Yeh’ve been such a help to me with classes, least I ken do.”

Maggie double checked that she had her wand and a pair of work gloves stowed in her back pocket and then headed toward the side of Hagrid’s hut, where he kept a large wheelbarrow and pitchfork. She grabbed them, steering toward the forest.

“I’ll see you at the afternoon class,” she called.

Hagrid nodded and gave her a wave before turning to head to the castle.

The forest felt deliciously cool compared to the open grounds, and Maggie delighted at the breeze that wound gently through the trees, carrying the crisp scent of pine and blowing cool air against her neck.

The mother and foal were both curled up for a nap in the shadiest corner of the paddock when she got there. Epona had plowed up the ground a bit with her hooves, uncovering the cooler earth underneath before they bedded down.

Maggie made a few quiet clicks with her tongue to alert Epona to her presence, not wanting to startle her as she entered their enclosure. The mare opened one eye halfway, stretched her mouth into a wide yawn, and then promptly went back to sleep. Selene didn’t even stir as Maggie went about her work for the next half hour or so, forking piles of dung into her wheelbarrow, clearing out small piles of animal bones, and laying out fresh straw for the two Thestrals.

The rest of the herd was now bringing meat for Epona, usually in the form of small forest animals with the occasional bird tossed in for variety. She and Selene both seemed content and well-fed, so Maggie slipped back out of the paddock without disturbing them once she was done.

She wheeled the load of spent straw and dung back out of the forest, heading for the greenhouses.

Neville Longbottom was just coming back from lunch when she arrived, and he gave her a welcoming smile.

“Hello, Maggie,” he said as he approached. “We missed you at lunch.”

“I was busy getting you a present,” she said, gesturing at the wheelbarrow’s smelly contents. “Fresh dung and straw for your compost pile.”

“Excellent,” said Neville, looking genuinely enthusiastic. “Never thought I’d be so excited about getting a wagon full of actual _crap_ , but well. Here we are. Thanks for saving it like I asked.”

“Happy to,” Maggie said, returning his smile. “Waste not, want not. Where would you like it?”

“The compost pile is back here; I’ll show you.”

Neville led her to a large pile of dried leaves, withered plant cuttings, and what looked like food scraps from the kitchens. She grabbed the pitchfork and went to work, mixing the dung into the pile and heaping it back up into a pyramid again.

“We could just use magic for that, you know,” Neville told her. “That’s what I always do.”

“Oh, I know,” Maggie answered, wiping sweat from her brow with one forearm. “But I like the exercise. Keeps you young, and all that.”

“Suit yourself,” he said with a shrug.

Maggie took her gloves off and tucked them back into her pockets.

“How’s class going so far for you?” she asked, slightly out of breath. “Plants and students behaving themselves?”

“No on both counts,” Neville replied with a grin. “But that’s to be expected.”

They walked back around to the front of the greenhouses.

“You know,” he said, turning toward her, “Hagrid was talking about you at lunch today. He seems pretty impressed with your knowledge and skill level. He mentioned that you’d make a fine teacher.”

Maggie could feel herself flushing even redder than she already was from heat and exertion.

“That’s kind of him to say,” she replied. “I do enjoy working with the students. But I have my research to concentrate on. And besides, Hogwarts already has an exemplary Care of Magical Creatures professor.”

“True,” Neville said, “but Hagrid is no spring chicken. He’ll be 83 this year. He’ll want to retire eventually.”

“They’d have to stun him and take him out in this to get him to leave,” Maggie joked, gesturing at the wheelbarrow.

“Today, yes. But in a few years?” Neville trailed off, and the words hung in the air for a moment. Then he shrugged.“Anyway, there’s a good chance he’ll bring it up at some point this semester, so I just thought I’d plant that seed.” He grinned before adding, “Herbologist humor.”

Maggie forced a smile at the bad pun and checked her watch before grabbing the handles of the wheelbarrow again.

“I should go help Hagrid get ready for the next round of students,” she said, glad to have found a reason to change the subject. “I’ll see you at dinner!”

“As you like,” replied Neville. “Thanks again for the big pile of shit.”

She laughed, then turned and pushed the wheelbarrow back to Hagrid’s hut, her mind whirring.

 _Me, a teacher?_ she thought to herself as she walked, trying to imagine it.

She had to admit, the idea had some appeal. She enjoyed helping others learn, especially about magical creatures. And she knew she wasn’t bad at it. She’d been a volunteer tutor for some of the other students at Castelobruxo who had struggled with the class. It had made her feel proud and fulfilled, helping others succeed in a subject she was so passionate about.

But it would also mean putting her research on the backburner—research she had poured more than a decade of work into. So many long days working with various herds, and late nights burning candles down to nubs while she studied or made comparative sketches. Would she really want to put all that on hold for who knew how many years?

“Got yer lunch!” called Hagrid’s voice from behind her. She turned to see him stepping heavily down the incline from the castle, waving a sandwich wrapped in wax paper.

She pushed the conversation with Neville from her mind and accepted the food with thanks, snarfing it quickly and washing it down with a cup of fresh water, which she drained and refilled twice.

It wasn’t a decision she needed to make, for the time being. Right now, she needed to concentrate on the incoming Fifth Year class, which had moved on from Billywigs to Fire Crabs. The last thing they needed this week was to give Madame Pomfrey even _more_ work to do.


	8. September 22nd, 2011

_Dear Maggie,_

_For a second there, I really thought I was in trouble for something!_

_Hagrid is definitely exaggerating about my Quidditch talents. We had a great team, and any wins we had while I was Captain were a group effort. I did have the opportunity to try out for England (they send scouts to Hogwarts to watch the matches, and I was invited to trials the summer after my seventh year), but I turned it down because I already knew I wanted to work for WONDR. We also recruit from Hogwarts, and by the time I sat my N.E.W.T.s I’d already gotten an owl asking if I’d like to come for an interview._

_I still enjoy playing for fun, though. Sometimes, when I go home, my family will get a game going in the back yard, and it’s always a good time._

_(As a sidenote, If you’d ever like to learn how to stay on a broom, I’d be happy to teach you. Though, given your line of work, finding a way to fly around is probably not generally an issue.)_

_Regarding the WONDR team, what you’re seeing is just our current field team at the research center. We also have witches and wizards spread out over different parts of the globe, and their job is to observe and study dragons in their native areas, and transport them to us as needed._

_Right now, the field team here is a bit of a skeleton crew. Part of my job is recruitment, and I’m sorry to say that applications have been down, and the ones we do have are from people who are largely unqualified for the job. I’m hoping the graduating class at Hogwarts this year has at least one or two promising students who might be willing to commit to a life of semi-poverty and life-threatening danger in order to help the cause. (How’s my sales pitch?)_

_I’m trying to remember where we’re all standing in the picture so I can tell you about everyone. I know I’m on one end, and I believe next to me is a tall muscly bloke with dreadlocks and glasses. If so, that’s Heinrich Theil. He’s Afro-German, though his family has roots in Ghana and some of his people are still there. His parents had no interest in sending him to Durmstrang, so he was homeschooled, and he was allowed to pursue learning about his passions to whatever extent he wanted. As a result, Heinrich is basically an encyclopedia of Dragonology. If you want to know what the average wingspan of a Peruvian Vipertooth is, or how long it takes on average for a Ridgeback’s egg to hatch, he’s the one to ask. He’s also probably the best cook out of all of us (we take turns), and will absolutely destroy any challenger in a game of wizard’s chess._

_The young blonde woman is Sylvie Dupuis, a Beauxbatons graduate and the best Obliviator I have ever met. She could erase your entire life and make you think you’re the Prima Ballerina of the Royal Ballet if she wanted to. Obviously, that’s a necessary skill in our line of work, so she’s indispensable to the team. Sylvie’s also kind of a mechanical genius and a whiz at repair spells, so she handles a lot of the maintenance round the camp. (But I don’t want to make it seem like she can’t also hold her own against dragons, because she absolutely can. Nobody on our team is a lightweight in that department.)_

_The man on the other side of Sylvie is Khalid al-Bedawi. His family is Moroccan, and he was educated at Uagadou. Khalid is one of those people who can walk into a room of thirty strangers and walk back out with thirty new friends. He’s our diplomat and handles relations both with our donors and with our host country’s government here in Romania. In addition, Khalid is also our only Animagus. He takes the form of an osprey, which comes in handy when we need someone to momentarily distract a dragon. We do have one very strict rule regarding Khalid, though: we never, ever allow him to make the coffee. It always comes out strong enough to take the laquer off a racing broom._

_As for the surly bloke on the end opposite me, that’d be Peter Corey, but he goes by “Tex,” owing to him being born and raised in Texas. (Creative, I know.) There’s… a lot to say about Tex. His family is American wizarding royalty (he’s related to the Salem Coreys) and he never lets anyone forget it. He was educated at Ilvermorney (Wampus House, in case you’re curious) and then returned to Texas where he spent some time working with MACUSA’s Body for Protection of Magical Species to capture and relocate Chupacabras. The man is an absolute artist with a lasso, and he looks wiry but he’s deceptively strong, so he’s very valuable in the field. Unfortunately, all that talent also comes with a bit of an attitude, which we’ve all learned to put up with fairly well. But he’s sort of a walking stereotype of the cocky American cowboy, and I think I can safely say we’ve all wanted to paste him at least once. (…In the last twenty-four hours.)_

_Anyway, as I said, we’d really prefer to have more boots on the ground here, but with applications as thin and unimpressive as they’ve been of late, we’ve had to make do. And honestly, we do okay, even with this small of a group. Better to have five skilled members on the team than to start accepting folks who might not cut the mustard, just to have more bodies._

_Thanks for giving me an update on Teddy and Victoire. I’m unsurprised on both counts that they’re doing so well. Bill was a bit disappointed that Victoire didn’t go to Gryffindor, but I think he’s just proud now to hear that she’s excelling. As for Teddy, keep encouraging him for me. Maybe in a few years I can recruit him to come chase dragons with Uncle Charlie._

_That owl of yours made himself quite at home in my tent this evening. He nibbled on a bit of spice cake that Sylvie made with dinner tonight, and then he fell fast asleep perched on one of my lamps. I don’t have the heart to wake him, so I suppose he’s staying the night. I should get some shut eye myself, and in the morning I’ll send him on his way with my letter. I look forward as always to having a letter back. It’s always so nice to hear from you._

_Take care, Mags._

 

_-Charlie_

 

_PS: I almost forgot—I should be able to make a visit to Hogsmeade the first weekend in November. Sorry it will be such a long time before I can get away, but we’ve got so much going on between now and then that we just can’t spare anyone being gone. Let me know if you think that’ll work, and we’ll make plans._


	9. A Frank Conversation

Charlie sat back in his chair, moving his head to and fro to stretch his neck muscles. The chorus of chirping crickets outside his tent had reached a crescendo, which was interrupted by the sound of Khalid’s voice calling him softly from the other side of the canvas flaps.

“Charlie, are you still awake?”

Charlie stood and walked to the entrance of the tent, ducking his head out.

“Hey,” he said, giving Khalid a friendly grin. “What’s up?”

“Would you mind if I come in?” Khalid asked, slapping his own upper arm suddenly. “The mosquitos are on the warpath tonight.”

“Yeah, of course,” replied Charlie, pulling back one of the flaps and gesturing inside.

There was a tiny seating area just inside each team member’s tent, with a small loveseat and a coffee table—just enough to make it seem _almost_ homey. Charlie appreciated the effort, but it always made him think longingly of the cozy living room at the Burrow, with its mismatched pillows and squashy armchairs, and the sofa that was the perfect size and firmness for falling asleep with a book.

Still, he had to admit that things had improved greatly in the two decades he had been working with WONDR. When he’d started, all he’d been given was a bed, a wooden crate for a nightstand, a couple of folding metal chairs, and a card table to write at. Donor money had increased steadily since Khalid had come on board. The man knew his field, and he had certainly earned his paychecks.

Charlie watched as his friend took a seat on the little settee, sitting up straight as a pin on the edge of the seat cushion. Khalid had the most impeccable posture of anyone he’d ever met.

“I’m sorry for the late night intrusion,” he said, giving Charlie a small smile. “I hope I wasn’t interrupting anything.”

“Oh, no,” Charlie assured him, shaking his head as he seated himself. “Not at all. I had actually just finished a letter when you showed up.”

“Ah,” said Khalid, giving him a grin. “Would this be a letter to Maggie?”

Charlie mirrored his smile.

“Perhaps.”

“Well, I hope it finds her well.” Khalid folded his hands together between his knees. “I just wanted to check in with you on a few things, if you don’t mind.”

“Sure,” said Charlie, giving a little shrug.

“I was wondering if you had followed up on that Fireball dragonling we rehabilitated last month? I know we sent her back to Jiangsu, but Heinrich was looking this afternoon and we don’t seem have an update since she left camp.”

“Oh,” Charlie said, looking a bit sheepish as he ran a hand over the back of his neck. “Yeah, I did drop the ball on that. Sorry, things have been so hectic since I got back and it just totally slipped through my radar. I’ll get a follow-up questionairre sent to our field team in China tomorrow and see how they’re doing.”

“Excellent,” said Khalid, nodding. “Thank you for doing that. I’ll look forward to seeing how things are going with her. I was also curious as to how recruiting is going. I know you had a pile of applications to go through when you got back, and I was just wondering if those got finished.”

“They did,” Charllie replied, “but unfortunately, I don’t think any of the applicants were qualified. Almost nobody with a background in Magizoology at all, and of the two that did, both were asking for way above the salary WONDR is able to pay at the moment.”

“Ah, yes. The ongoing struggle of needing highly specialized skills, but being unable to compensate fairly for them.”Khalid sighed, squinting his eyes shut and rubbing the bridge of his nose. “I wish I could wave my wand and just make the Galleons appear so we would be able to hire the folks we really need to build a bigger field team. Not everyone is willing to accept a life of austerity for the good of the cause, and really, who can blame them?”

This had been the subject of many a disgruntled debate around the table in the mess hall. They needed to attract the right sort of candidates, but the salary for working at the reserve had always been a major deterrent for Magizoologists who rightfully wanted a pay grade that matched their level of expertise.

“It does make recruitment more difficult,” Charlie said, a note of apology in his tone. “But we all know you’re doing your best.”

“I wonder,” said Khalid, “if it wouldn’t be prudent to do a recruitment tour of the schools of magic toward the summer, see if any of the students would be interested in a paid summer internship, with the possibility of permanent employment afterward.”

Charlie considered this, nodding slowly.

“You know, that’s not a bad thought. Lots of the schools do sort of a careers fair at the end of the year, to give the students information on job openings and what they need to do to advance in the fields they’re interested in. I don’t think we’ve ever sent any of our people to one. Mostly it’s just been connections with the magical creatures professors giving us tips on students who might be keen. But maybe if there was more visibility…”

He trailed off, a thoughtful expression on his face. It really was a very good idea.

“We can bring it up with the rest of the team at breakfast,” Khalid said, standing. “For now, I’ll let you get some rest. Thanks for the quick chat.”

“Anytime,” said Charlie, getting off the sofa and giving him a genial smile. Khalid turned to leave, then seemed to hesitate for a fraction of an instant before turning back around.

“Charlie,” he said, giving him an earnest look, “I want to ask you something, and I’d like you to be honest with me.”

“Of course,” Charlie replied, feeling a bit taken aback by this statement.

Khalid was a lot of things, but frank was usually not one of them. Perhaps it was a side effect of his natural gift of diplomacy, but he tended to put things rather delicately most of the time. For him, this was downright _blunt_.

“I wonder… are you doing quite well?”

“Me?” asked Charlie, arching an eyebrow. “Yeah, of course. Right as rain. Never better.” There was a pause as Khalid searched his expression. It felt like what Charlie imagined it must be like to go into one of those Muggle machines that could look see through your body, down to your very bones. He tried to look as casual as possible, giving a little shrug. “Why do you ask?”

“Well, to tell you the truth, since you got back from London, you haven’t been quite yourself. It’s nothing any of us can put a finger on, but it seems as though you just aren’t quite as focused as you usually are. Dragonling rehabilitation has always been your passion. It’s not like you to up and forget to check on one of your fosters. I just wondered if something happened while you were away that might be affecting you, and if you wanted to talk about it.”

Charlie considered his options.

Lying to Khalid was a fool’s errand. Charlie had no reason to believe he was actually a Legilimens, but he certainly had a natural talent for sniffing out falsehoods, so it was no use trying to get away with dishonesty. Still, he thought, his friend didn’t need to know _everything_.

“I truly am sorry for neglecting to follow up on the Fireball,” said Charlie solemnly. “I take full responsibility for that and I won’t try to excuse my negligence.” He paused and cleared his throat, wondering how to approach the subject.

“Is it the girl?” asked Khalid.

Charlie gave him a look, but didn’t say anything. Khalid nodded.

“I suspected that might be the case.” There was a brief pause before he continued. “You know, I left a relationship when I came to WONDR several years ago.”

“I didn’t know that, actually.”

“Yes,” Khalid said, nodding again. “Omari was my schoolmate and, I thought at the time, perhaps my soulmate as well. But then my work brought me here and his took him back to Uagadou to serve as their Astronomy professor. We tried to make it work over the distance, but my mind was too busy with saving dragons and his was stuck in the stars, and over time we didn’t have the same passion for one another that we did for our new lives.”

“That must have been hard,” said Charlie.

“It was,” he admitted. “But it _also_ would have been a shame if I’d been eaten by a Longhorn because I couldn’t keep my mind off Omari.”

“So you’re saying we just… shouldn’t have relationships?” asked Charlie, looking confused.

“Not at all, my friend. I don’t believe we can help it if a person becomes important to us in that way. There is an old African saying: ‘Love, like rain, does not choose the grass on which it falls.’ What I’m saying is that, as with all things, there must be _balance_. This is not a job where you can afford to have your head in the clouds.”

Charlie pursed his lips and nodded. Khalid had a point—he _had_ been feeling rather distracted lately. He hadn’t expected to miss Maggie as much as he did, or for her to pop into his mind at the most inopportune times the way she sometimes would.

“You’re right, of course,” he said. “I appreciate your honesty. I’ll try my hardest to do better.”

“Thank you, Charlie. You really are an incredible asset to the team. We just need you at your best, for everyone’s safety and for the good of the animals.” Khalid took his leave then, bidding him good night as he ducked back out of the tent.

After he was gone, Charlie walked to his bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed, shoulders slumped as he heaved a sigh. He glanced at his bedside table. Taking the moving photograph out of his pocket, he propped Maggie and the baby thestral against his lamp, where the image rested each night as he slept.

He flopped backward, laying sideways on the bed with his knees bent over the side, staring at the ceiling for a moment. Then he reached out with one hand and pulled open the drawer in the little table, feeling around briefly before fishing out a small rectangle of chocolate wrapped in gold foil. He snapped off a small piece and popped it into his mouth, the familiar burning sensation spreading over his tongue as he remembered the feeling of soft waves of brown hair moving between his fingers, and the sound of rain against glass.


End file.
